Punctuation Marks – Punctuation Marks And How To Use It Properly In A Sentence

Would you like to know more about punctuation and everything that will improve your punctuation capability? I will tell you all about it in this article.

Most of the time, people lack adequate knowledge of how to punctuate, thereby misinterpreting certain content, which is not nice. A good understanding of punctuation goes a long way to improve efficient communication.

Punctuation is essential in writing as it helps to clarify meaning, indicate pauses, and structure sentences correctly.

We know how important this would be to you, so we will look into all you need to know about punctuation for you.

Let’s get started. 

What Is Punctuation All About

Punctuation concerns the different symbols used when writing to clarify meaning, indicate pauses, and organize text. Punctuations help convey the tone of the intended and guide readers in understanding the content better.

Wrong punctuation in content can send the wrong meaning to the readers, and this is why punctuation is very important when writing. Punctuation has to do with different symbols, and these symbols are called punctuation marks.

Punctuation marks serve different purposes but work collectively to understand better your message being passed across. And this is why we will look into the various punctuation marks and how to use them.

Types Of Punctuation Marks And How To Use Them

Having been through what punctuation is all about, we will review the English punctuation marks you are expected to know. They include the following:

1. Period (.)
2. Question Mark (?)
3. Exclamation Point (!)
4. Comma (,)
5. Colon (:)
6. Semi-colon (;)
7. Quotation Mark (“”)
8. Apostrophe (‘)

Let’s get started.

1. Full Stop (.)

• The full stop is used to end an independent thought. It shows that the sentence is finished. Example: We are on our way home.
• The full stop is also used in Abbreviations. Example: Prof. Godswill was appointed the Vice Chancellor of this great Institute.

2. Question Mark (?)

• A question mark is used to end a question or an interrogative statement. Example: Are you hungry, Daniel?

3. Exclamation Point (!)

• Exclamatory points express emotions like surprise, worry and other emotions. Exclamation points are also used as interjections in content. Example: Wow, you look beautiful!

4. Comma (,)

The comma is used to do a list of things, which includes the following:

• To separate list of items. Example: I would love to get shoes, clothes, and stationery for school.
• To give a slight pause in the voice. Example: Surely, goodness and mercies shall follow me.
• After an introduction or clauses. Example: If you allow me to ride your bike, I’ll guide you.
• Before a direct speech. Example: The principal said, ‘ Examination malpractice will not be tolerated in this school.’

5. Colon (:)

Colon can be used to do a list of things

• The colon can be used to introduce a list. Example: Tunde loves three things: swimming, reading and travelling.
• To introduce subtitles or to highlight the main topic. Example: Main Topic: Consequences of Abortion.
• Colons can be used between two complete sentences. Example: She studies hard for her exams: late nights at the library and countless practice questions paid off.

6. Semi-colon (;)

• A semi-colon separates two clauses that are closely related. Example: Miracle fainted during the reception; she had not rested since the Bridal shower.

7. Quotation Mark (“”)

The Quotation mark is normally used to quote or reference someone’s direct speech or cite a book or a source of reference.

• The single quotation mark is used to refer to someone’s direct speech. Example: The Principal said, ‘ Whoever fails this session is bound to repeat classes’.
• Double quotations refer to titles of books, magazines, poems, etc. Example: Have you read ” The Last Days At Forcados High School”?

8. Apostrophe (‘)

An apostrophe can be used to show some things, which include:

• To indicate possession or ownership. Example: When we entered, the makeup artist’s equipment was scattered all over the room.
• To show omission –Used in contractions. Example: I won’t go out under the rain again.

You are expected to know only a few punctuation marks. Although there are many, we have gone through these to help you improve your writing.

How to Become Better At Punctuating 

Becoming better at punctuation doesn’t just stop you from knowing the punctuation marks and their function. You can grow and improve in other ways, and we will look into some of them. They include the following:

1. Study Punctuation Rules: The first thing that can help you is an in-depth knowledge of the punctuation rules and when to apply them when writing. Familiarize yourself with these punctuation marks like commas, question marks and the rest for easy remembrance.
2. Practice Regularly: Practice more often as you make fewer mistakes and improve by practising what you have learnt. Regular practice can help boost your growth.
3. Read Widely: For you to improve, you have to be open to different materials of study, such as magazines, books, articles, and essays like Biographies and other contents, that expose you to various kinds of punctuation.
4. Take Punctuation Excercise: Challenge yourself by testing your capacity through regular talking punctuation exercises. Which can be found in some books or apps, whichever is available.

These are some of the ways to improve your punctuation.

Conclusion 

As important as having great content, proper punctuation makes it even better; this is why punctuation is necessary for every great content.

Being able to pass the intended meaning in your content properly doesn’t just happen unless punctuated adequately; this goes a long way to show how important punctuation is.

Many things can be misunderstood if not expressed well while using the right punctuation, and we would like you to master using punctuation marks. So, we have looked into some of the Punctuation marks that will be very helpful to you.

Gain mastery in using them and be happy you did.

Having been through this article, we hope it has been helpful and productive. Till Next Time.